An exchange with international scientists, who are members of the VinFuture Prize Council and Pre-Screening Committee, was held in Hanoi on January 18, as part of the VinFuture Award Week.
Hanoi (VNA)✱ – An exchange with international scientists, whoare members of the VinFuture Prize Council and Pre-Screening Committee, washeld in Hanoi on January 18, as part of the VinFuture Award Week.
In the first season, the organising board received over 1,200 entriesfrom 654 leading universities, 51 well-known research institutes and 42national science academies globally. Among the 599 innovations in the competition, about100 are made by top 2 percent of the most-cited scientists in the world. Femalescientists in the event accounted for 34.3 percent of the total, many of them winners of Nobel, Breakthrough, Tang and Japan prizes. The competition drew participants of 60 countries globally, 52.6percent of their projects are from North America and the European Union. Vietnamalso joined in with 17 projects. The result far exceeded the expectation of abrand new prize like VinFuture. Speaking at the event, Dr. Le Mai Lan, Vice Chairwoman of VinGroup andDesignated Representative of VinFuture Foundation, said over a year ago,billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong and his spouse committed 100 million USD to the establishmentof VinFuture Foundation with an aim to unlock development potentials ofdeveloping nations on the back sci-tech innovations. Prof. Albert PaulPisano from the University of California, San Diego, the US, who is co-Chairmanof the VinFuture Prize Pre-screening Committee, said the awards recognisescientists’ efforts that could impact millions of lives, adding that there arefew awards that honour and connect scientists right from the stage of ideationto implementation and connectivity. He said atfirst, the committee expected to receive about 200 entries, but it turned outto triple that. Prof. NguyenThuc Quyen from the University of California, Co-Chairwoman of the committee, said what makes VinFuture awards outstanding is its vision to bring sci-tech inventionsto the poor.
Scientists at the event (Photo: nhandan.vn)
Prof. DangVan Chi, Director of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, member of the PrizeCouncil, said he agrees to serve as a jury as the awards honour scientific worksthat fulfill the mission of serving humanity and make positive difference tomillions of lives globally. According toProf. Richard Henry Friend from the UK’s Cambridge University, Chairman of thePrize Council, entries sent to the competition are not only high in number butalso in quality. During thisseason, there is a VinFuture Grand Prize worth 3 million USD and three specialprizes, each worth 500,000 USD for female scientists, innovators fromdeveloping nations or outstanding achievements in emerging fields. Entries willbe reviewed by 12 members of the Pre-Screening Committee and later 11 membersof the Prize Council. The award ceremonywill take place on January 20 evening./.
Conglomerate VinGroup on December 20 launched the first Vietnamese-initiated international science-technology award named VinFuture Prize, which is among the annual awards with the highest prize money pool of the world.
The VinFuture Foundation announced that over 500 prominent scientists, universities, and recognized organizations from 36 countries representing six continents have registered to become the Official Nominators for the VinFuture Prize over one month after the foundation launched its call for nominations.
VietNEST (Vietnamese Nurturing Education for Science & Traditions) is a mobile app and digital platform for Vietnamese language learning among overseas children.
The networks bring together universities, research institutes and domestic and foreign businesses. Members will work closely in training, research, and technology transfer by sharing curricula, improving faculty capacity, providing access to laboratories and research facilities, and jointly implementing science and technology projects.
The Better Choice Awards (BCA) 2025 is a key highlight in the lead-up to Vietnam Innovation Day that falls on October 1, an annual event expected to attract hundreds of innovative enterprises, research institutions, investment funds, and startups from both Vietnam and abroad.
The new line serves as a critical backup route, strategically complementing existing submarine cables and enhancing the resilience, proactivity, and security of Vietnam’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Vietnam is actively yet cautiously preparing for the construction of its first nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan (now the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa). The resumption of the programme after years of suspension carries considerable significance for the nation’s development in a new era as it strives to gradually reduce and ultimately phase out coal-fired power to realise the Government’s commitment to Net Zero by 2050.
The government leader reaffirmed Vietnam’s goal of achieving self-reliance in the design, manufacturing, and test of necessary semiconductor chips by no later than 2027.
With the launching of its two-tier local administration model, the city is incorporating technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain to enhance service delivery for citizens and businesses, aligning with the Politburo’s Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation.
Vietnam has issued many key policies to support semiconductor development, notably the Politburo’s Resolution 57 on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. Other initiatives include the Semiconductor Industry Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050, and the Human Resources Development Programme for the Semiconductor Industry.
Vietnam is no longer just an emerging blockchain market, it is stepping into a leadership role, with global investors, developers, and experts recognising its growing potential to become a leading hub for digital assets in the region.
Taking place on August 1–2, the event features more than 20,000 attendees and over 200 speakers from Vietnam, the h Korea, Singapore, the UAE, Hong Kong (China) and the US.
Dung directed the Ministry of Science and Technology to revise the national startup scheme, ensuring it clearly defines the scope and content, grounded on strong political and legal foundations, international best practices, and well-reasoned arguments for submission to the Government.
The two-day academic forum, themed “Resilience, Sustainability & Digital Transformation in a Changing World: Perspectives from Southeast Asia”, aims to share interdisciplinary research insights, focusing on adaptive capacity, sustainable development, and digital transformation amid evolving global and regional landscapes.
With such a rapid economic growth, Vietnam must diversify energy sources and nuclear power is a rational choice to ensure the national energy security, said Associate Professor Kei Koga from the Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung emphasised that Vietnam has a clear strategy and ambition in this field, and is rapidly emerging as a central hub and key link in the regional and global semiconductor value chains.
According to Cushman & Wakefield’s latest Asia-Pacific Data Centre Investment Landscape report, Vietnam now ranks second in the region for data centre investment returns, with a yield on cost (YoC) of 17.5–18.8%, just behind Singapore’s 21–23%.
Vietnam is taking drastic yet cautious steps in building a culture of nuclear safety and security, with the aim of having its first nuclear power plant operational by the end of 2030 and using this specific energy source effectively and sustainably.
Vietnam’s 5G strategy has been clearly outlined in national digital technology and infrastructure policies. A wide range of solutions is being vigorously implemented to achieve the target of an average internet speed of 100 Mbps by 2025 and full nationwide 5G coverage by 2030.
The visit aimed to assess the new two-tier local government model, preparations for upcoming Party congresses at levels, and implementation of the Politburo’s Conclusion on school construction in border areas.
Under the theme “Breakthrough Era with the Development of Industrial Internet”, the event gathered over 400 delegates, including senior officials, leading Internet experts, and technology engineers from Vietnam and abroad.
Illustrative image (Photo: vietnamnet.vn) 
Scientists at the event (Photo: nhandan.vn) 
